A fire which started before midnight on Saturday in The Snug Bar on the west side of Athlone resulted in the complete evacuation of the pub as the safety of customers present was immediately addressed.

The Connacht Whiskey Company, based in Ballina, has released its first Irish gin called Conncullin. Master distiller, Robert Cassell, who has won numerous international gold medals for his prior gins, has enjoyed working with several botanicals iconic to Ireland, such as elderberry flower and hawthorn berry.